Finding Him Again
by Authourinthemaking
Summary: Merlin has been waiting for Arthur's return for over 500 years. He has faced guilt, depression, war, and illness. Now, in 2016, he attends Albion University, and his only friend is the White Dragon...or is it? Can he make it another 500 years? Will he have to? Will a new friend be his only saviour, or will the Great Dragon's promise about the Once and Future King really come true?
1. Chapter 1 The Worst Day

**Chapter One**

 **The Worst Day**

He sighed. Being immortal was not all it was cracked up to be. It had been over 500 years. His arms bore the signs of long years of depression and self-harm.

There had been a few good years in there, too, but mostly bad. He had seen all those he cared about—all his friends, and even his own mother—go to their graves. The only one he still had was the White Dragon.

After everyone was gone, he attempted to find the White Dragon. He finally found her dying in a cave. He used his Dragon Lord power to heal her wounds, and even to restore her ability to grow properly. He then spent many years teaching her how to speak, and refreshing her memory of the Old Religion.

Finally, Aithusa was the Great White Dragon that she was meant to be. She, like him, would now be immortal. Because of this, she remained on the Isle of the Blessed and only ventured out across Lake Avalon and night.

The Dragon Lord visited her once a month. She always looked forward to his visits, and would often give him a ride across the lake. However, she knew he came to Lake Avalon once a month to see someone else, as well.

Every month, he sailed out into the middle of the lake and peered down in the water hoping to see him there; hoping to see his king. This month was particularly hard, as it was the anniversary of the Battle of Camlann.

 _He ran to the king's side. He knelt down, as tears streamed down his cheeks. He could not be too late. He couldn't! It was his job to protect the king. He could not let him die._

 _Gaius found them. He told the physician everything. Gaius said the only chance he had to heal the king was to take him to Lake Avalon. He agreed to make the long journey to the lake. He would do anything for Arthur._

 _On the way, he told Arthur the truth. "I am a sorcerer," he said. At first, the king could not believe it, but then, after he had proved it by creating a dragon out of the sparks from the fire, Arthur looked at him with a look he couldn't quite read. It was part anger, part fear, and part…admiration…or was that his imagination?_

 _Time was running out, and he knew it. He called on Kilgharrah, the Great Dragon and asked him for one last favor. He asked Kilgharrah to fly them to Lake Avalon. The Great Dragon agreed._

 _At the lake, Kilgharrah told him it was too late. He refused to believe it was true. It couldn't be too late! He was supposed to protect the Once and Future King until the day he died!_

 _Finally, after Arthur had thanked him, and drawn his last breath, he accepted the fact that his best friend was dead. He placed him in a boat and then used magic to send it out on to the lake. He couldn't bear to set it on fire, so he just sat down and sobbed._

He sobbed now, remembering how awful that day had been. Aithusa flew overhead, watching her Dragon Lord, ready to stop him if he began cutting himself with his enchanted knife, as he usually did on these days. This time, however, he was too depressed to even pick up the knife.

He sniffed and pulled himself together. He had things to do, and a life to live. He sailed back to shore, where Aithusa was waiting for him. She bent her great head down to his level. The Dragon Lord took her head in his hands and placed his forehead against it. "I'm glad you're here," he said.

"Me too," the White Dragon replied.

He sighed. What was the point? What was the point of going on living without his best friend? Arthur had been his entire world. He had never wanted anything more than to be his servant. He wanted to be by his side until the end of time.

He knew he had to try to keep living. Kilgaharrah had said that Arthur would return when Albion most needed him. But great famines, and terrible wars had seized the country over the years, and still Arthur had not returned. Was it really true? Would Arthur return? Or was it just something the Great Dragon had told him to comfort him?

He sighed again. He really should concentrate on the paper before him.

He threw the book down, and slammed his laptop closed. He couldn't take it any longer. What was the point of pretending? He was almost 600 years old and had all the knowledge that comes with that many years of experience.

The only problem was, he still looked 24. He could do an aging spell on himself, but it would take a lot of energy to maintain. Besides, if Arthur ever did return, he probably wouldn't recognize him if he was old.

He tossed and turned in his bed. There was a voice in his head that would not shut up. "Emrys!" it called. "Emrys!" He groaned, turning over and trying to block out the noise. The voice continued. "Emrys! Emrys, she brought the sword to island."


	2. Chapter 2 Disappointment and Discovery

**Chapter Two**

 **Disappointment and Discovery**

He sat up, wide awake. He immediately recognized the voice as Aithusa. He threw on jeans and a t-shirt. He grabbed his jacket on the way out.

He nearly fell into the water as he scrambled into the boat. He quickly muttered an incantation to make the boat move. It creeped across the water. He said another spell to make it move faster, but it did not work. He said it again. Still nothing. He tried one more time, but the boat still moved at an annoyingly slow pace.

Finally, it reached the Isle. He tripped up the stairs and sprinted to the ruined courtyard. There, he found Aithusa waiting for him. Wordless, she led him to the water's edge. He ran to the bank and knelt down.

He smiled at the girl who was sitting on the beach, holding Excalibur. He took the sword from her and set it aside. Then, he drew her to him and kissed her deeply.

After a few minutes, she pulled away. "I have to go," she said. "But promise me something. When love finds you again, you will not run from it." He nodded. "Promise me, Merlin!" she exclaimed.

"I promise, Freya," he answered. She smiled and nodded. She kissed him one more time, and then dove into the water.

Sighing, he picked up the sword and got to his feet. He turned to the White Dragon behind him. "What does this mean?" he asked.

"It means that Albion will soon be in danger," Aithusa responded.

The Dragon Lord brightened. He knew this meant Arthur would return, and soon! He looked to the dragon. "But why did he not just bring his sword with him when he came?" he questioned.

"Because right now, the sword is in jeopardy. Man has developed devices that are not bound by the laws of magic. They can swim in this lake; they can find the sword," the White Dragon answered. He nodded in understanding. "So, I'm guessing I need to hide it somewhere then," he stated.

Aithusa nodded. "You must hide it somewhere that no one will suspect it is hiding," she said.

That night, he decided to research these devices that Aithsua had mentioned. After a short time, he laughed. Even though she had lived through the centuries, and Merlin had done his best to teach her the things of this world, she still had very sheltered life on the Isle of the Blessed. The devices she was referring to were robots. Robots were not dead or alive, and not even undead, therefore, they could swim in the Lake Avalon and not be affected, and they could find things that no other's eye could see.

Leaning back in his chair, he looked over at the sword laying on the empty bed on the other side of the room. At first, he was disappointed when he was told that he would not be having a roommate that year, but now he was glad. When Arthur returned, he would need a place to stay.

A fortnight later, he saw on the news that archaeologists had unearthed a magnificent find in the town of Camlann. Merlin gasped as they presented a beautiful sword.

It was a plain, straight blade, but it was perfectly formed, and it almost glowed. The handle looked to be solid gold, but otherwise had no decoration.

He held his breath as they explained the research they had done on the sword. They believed it to be Excalibur. Merlin laughed. But then, he became serious. If they believed it to be Excalibur, that meant it had the same magic flowing through it as Arthur's sword did.

He drew in his breath. They found Mordred's sword. They had found the sword that Morgana had formed in Aithusa's breath for Mordred to kill Arthur. Now he knew what Aithusa meant by the sword being in jeopardy. They could not find Arthur if they looked in the lake, but they could find Excalibur, and the lake was the next place they would look for King Arthur relics.

He knew the sword needed to be safe; and lying on the opposite bed was no longer a safe place. He got down on his knees and pulled the wooden box out from underneath his bed. He whispered an incantation. His eyes briefly turned gold, as they always did when he used magic.

The box unlocked and opened. He smiled and took out a large book. He lovingly flipped through the pages containing the many spells and incantations of his kind. He then shook his head and put it back in his place. Now was not the time for a trip down Sentimental Avenue.

He picked up the sword and placed it in the box. Then, he closed the lid. He whispered an incantation, his eyes glowing gold. There was a click as the box locked. Now the sword would be safe. Nothing could get into that box, not even a robot. He slid the box back under his bed and sighed heavily.

Now there was no evidence that Arthur was going to return. Nothing to remind him of his best friend long ago. It was back to the daily mundane assignments and tasks. Being a servant to a cocky prince seemed like a dream come true right now. What he wouldn't give to have Arthur tell him to polish his armour and clean his room, or even throw something at him.

Merlin perked up in his history class when the professor said, "For the next couple of weeks, we will focus on Arthurian legends. We will be analyzing them and deciding which ones are most likely true, and which ones are purely legend. You should know that I am quite an expert on King Arthur, so it will not be an easy high mark."

He sniggered. "You sure about that?" he mumbled. Then, he thought, _"You didn't spend four years cleaning his room, and saving his life. How could you know the first thing about Arthur?"_

The professor turned to Merlin and said, "Mr. Ealdor, do you have something you would like to share?"

"No, sir," Merlin quickly replied.

"Perhaps since you are named after the great wizard that served at King Arthur's side for many years, you think you know a lot about Arthur," the professor suggested.

"Actually, I do know a lot about Arthur. It's almost as if I actually knew him," Merlin answered.

Over the years, he had learned that people don't react well when told that you have first-hand knowledge about historical events. Therefore, he had learned to say things like the above. He had learned how to tell the truth, but be vague enough that no one would suspect him of being anything but an obsessed history buff.

Smiling mischievously, the professor said, "What was the name of his father and mother?"

"Uther and Ygraine Pendragon. Although, Ygraine died in child birth," Merlin blurted.

"Well done. Not many people know that," the professor praised.

"I also know that he hated it when his armour was not polished, and he was the best swordsman in all of Camelot," Merlin added.

The professor looked at him curiously. "How do you know that?" he asked.

"Well, the first part, I may have gotten from a film," Merlin replied, catching himself, "but the part about being the best swordsman in all of Camelot; well, it's obvious, isn't it? I mean he was the First Knight of Camelot, and he was the one that would unite all of Albion. He had to be the best."

"True," the professor smiled. "And we will talk about the uniting of all Albion."

For once, Merlin actually looked forward to attending class. Usually, it was just more boring historical events and dates that he had counted with the scars on his arms. This time, however, it was about something he actually cared about, and knew better than any historical event had survived.

On Monday, the professor handed out a pre-test. He told his students that it did not matter how well they did on this test because it was simply a tool for him to see how much they knew about King Arthur and the legends surrounding him. The test asked some pretty easy questions, like: Where did Arthur live? Who was Guinevere? Who was Lancelot? Who was Merlin? And then it asked some harder questions, like: What was Arthur's last name? What was the name of Arthur's mother and father? What was the name of Merlin's mother? Give at least one other name by which Merlin was known. Explain the significance of the Sword in the Stone.

Merlin flew through all the answers, and was the first to approach the professor's desk. He smiled. "Either you are an overconfident nerd, or you really know your Arthurian legends," the professor commented. Merlin smiled and returned to his desk.

Soon, others began turning in their tests. Then, when all the tests were collected, the professor announced that they would start their official study of Arthurian legend tomorrow, but today he would introduce the project that was due in two weeks.

The professor first assigned everyone a partner. He told the students that they would need to work with their partners to make an interesting presentation about their topic. He then handed out the rubric for the project. "You must analyze all the myths surrounding your topic and find the one that you believe to be the most reliable," he explained. "Then, you will present that version to the class, briefly mentioning the other versions."

After class, a girl with long, dark hair approached him. She smiled. "Hi, I'm Elena Druid. I'll be your partner," she said, extending her hand. "Merlin Ealdor," he replied, shaking it. "So, do you have any ideas about our topic?" she questioned.

"Well, for one thing, I know it's bull," he answered.

"What makes you say that?" she asked, screwing up her face. "It was what destroyed Arthur and all of Camelot."

Merlin shook his head. "No, Mordred was what destroyed Arthur," he said.

"Mordred? You mean the Druid boy that Morgana saved? And then, years later, made an alliance with?" she inquired.

He raised an eyebrow. "That's right," he said. She smiled. "I looked up the meaning of my last name one day, and I came across the legend of Mordred, the young Druid boy. I didn't know if it was actually part of the real legend—if there is such a thing—but I always liked the story, so I chose to believe it. However, I was so disappointed to learn that he made an alliance with Morgana later on."

Merlin smiled and nodded. "So, what did happen with the whole love triangle thing? And did it not destroy Arthur?" she quizzed.

"Well," Merlin answered, "first of all, Guinevere never actually loved Lancelot. I mean, she had feelings for him, and was even willing to risk her life for him. But if she had to choose between the two, she would choose Arthur every time, and not just because he was the king. She loved Arthur more than anyone in the whole world.

"As far as Lancelot, he sacrificed himself to save Camelot. There was a magic veil that had opened between the world of the dead and the world of the living. The gatekeepers required a human blood sacrifice to close the gate once more. Lancelot volunteered himself, and walked into the veil. The veil closed, and Camelot was saved from the Underworld."

Elena stared at him. "Wow, you are either really arrogant, or you spent way too much time in the library," she commented.

"I have been called many things, but never arrogant," he smiled. She smiled back.

He lay in bed and wondered where this Elena had come from. Her last name was Druid. He wondered if she had magic, too. He needed a way to find out without making her think he'd lost it. Why was revealing his magic so much easier than hiding it?


	3. Chapter 3 Project Possible

**Chapter Three**

 **Project Possible**

He met Elena in the library. They had a little over a week to complete their project. The title of their project was, "The Triangle with Only Two Sides."

At first Elena had been reluctant to present it as not being the undoing of Arthur, but when Merlin showed that in several versions of the stories, it was indeed Mordred that brought about Arthur's demise, she agreed to go along with it. "How are we going to support the idea that Guinevere was not truly in love with Lancelot, though?" she quizzed. Merlin smiled.

He pulled a small, leather bound book out of his backpack. "This has been treasured long in my family," he explained. "It once belonged to Queen Guinevere."

"How did you get it?" she gasped.

"Guinevere gave it to Merlin the warlock on her death bed, and Merlin promised to keep it safe."  
"So, it was passed down in your family?" He nodded. "And now, you, who are named after your great—lots more greats—grandfather, have it."

"Right," Merlin replied. Elena nodded and smiled.

"Can we read it?" she asked.

"Normally, I would say no, but since she's been dead for over 500 years, I think it's okay," he smiled, handing her the book.

She smiled and eagerly took the book. She read a few pages and smiled. It sounded just like the Guinevere she had always imagined.

When she came across the pages about Arthur and Lancelot, she shrieked with joy. She devoured the words on the page.

She finally finished and looked up at Merlin. "This is a wonderful source! I just hope that Professor Morgan will let us use it, and that he will count it as genuine enough," she thought aloud. Merlin agreed.

They put the finishing touches on their project, which was due the next day. When Elena turned her back, Merlin whispered an incantation to make the statues of the three characters come alive so that they could act out things as he and Elena talked.

Elena marveled at his work. "They're just robots," he told her. She smiled and nodded her head. "Of course," she responded, "but they look magnificent."

"Thank you," Merlin smiled.

Elena nudged Merlin. "We're next," she whispered. Merlin nodded. "I hope he likes it," she added.

"I'm sure he will," Merlin assured.

Finally, it was their turn. Merlin set the statues in a triangle formation. Elena began.

She started out by explaining that the love triangle was not the undoing of Camelot. She pointed to many references where Mordred—regardless of who he was to Arthur in the stories—was the one that betrayed Arthur and dealt him his final blow. Then, she transitioned to the love triangle. "Many legends point to the fact that they love triangle destroyed Arthur by making him lose hope, but we are here to focus on Guinevere's feelings.

"Lancelot was not of royal blood, therefore, he could not be a knight under the rule of Uther Pendragon, which was when he first came to Camelot. Merlin and Guinevere decided to help him become a knight anyway. During this time Guinevere fell in love with him. However, she had had an Elizabeth/Darcy relationship with Arthur before this."

Merlin then took over. "Despite the help of Merlin and Guinevere, Lancelot was discovered and banished from Camelot. Years later, when Arthur was king, he returned to Camelot and was made a knight. In a previous meeting in the woods, Merlin discovered that Lancelot and Guinevere had feelings for each other. He spoke to Lancelot about this.

"Being the honorable man that he was, Lancelot acknowledged his feelings but refused to come between Guinevere and Arthur. He told Merlin to tell Guinevere that some things were just not meant to be. Guinevere was sad, but she acknowledged this to be true.

"Then, during Lancelot's knighthood, a great plague of magic that even Merlin could not stop swept across Camelot. The door to the Underworld had been opened and spirits were roaming the earth. Morgana, Arthur's half-sister who was a High Priestess of the Old Religion, opened the gateway as a trap for Arthur. King Arthur, his knights, and Merlin set out to try and close the gateway."

Elena took over. "Guinevere told Lancelot to protect Arthur no matter what. He promised that he would. Then, when the time came to close the gateway, they discovered a sacrifice must be made. Lancelot was the one to make that sacrifice. He willingly walked into the gateway, and it closed behind him.

"When they returned to Camelot, Guinevere inquired after Lancelot. She blamed herself for a long time when she was told what he had done. However, after a talk with Merlin, she realized that he would have done it anyway. He was just as loyal to Camelot as any knight, and was more than willing to give his life for its well-being. Guinevere then fully devoted herself to Arthur.

Merlin took over. "Everything was fine until Morgana used magic to bring Lancelot back to life. She wanted to get at Guinevere so that she could get to Arthur. She knew Lancelot could do that.

"However, Merlin soon discovered that it was not the real Lancelot when the knight had no knowledge of Merlin's magic. He told this to Arthur and Guinevere and they recognized the trap. Guinevere told Arthur that she could never truly love another, and she was devoted to him until the day he died. And until the day she died, she reigned Camelot alone, never once wishing for Lancelot, but always longing for Arthur."

Elena made the closing statement. "So, although she cared deeply for Lancelot, her heart always, truly belonged to Arthur. Guinevere was a faithful servant, and a faithful Queen."

The class applauded as Merlin and Elena took their seats. "That is a very interesting take on the love triangle," the professor commented. "I can't wait to see the sources you used in your paper." Merlin and Elena smiled and nodded.

After the last presentation was finished, Professor Morgan dismissed the class, but called Merlin and Elena to his desk. "I am very eager to see your sources for your presentation," he smiled.

Nodding, Merlin pulled Guinevere's journal out of his backpack. He handed it to the professor. "This was our main source," he explained.

Morgan raised an eyebrow and took it from Merlin. As he flipped through the pages, his eyes grew wide. "Where did you get this? Is this real?" he asked.

"My family seems to think so," Merlin answered. "There is a story in my family that long ago, on her death bed, Queen Guinevere handed this to Merlin the wizard and asked him to keep it safe. She told him it contained the true story of Camelot."

The professor nodded, still dumbfounded. "So, then Merlin the wizard was your ancestor?" he quizzed.

"So the story goes," Merlin replied. Morgan just nodded. He handed the journal back to Merlin. "Well, I will be eager to read your paper to see what else you put in, and what other sources you compared it to," he said.

"You believe me, sir?" Merlin questioned.

"Of course! I have no reason to doubt you. You have always been a good student, and you seem to know things about Arthur that no one else knows. Plus, there is a legend—a not very well known legend—about Merlin possessing a journal later in life that he received from Guinevere on her death bed."

Merlin and Elena smiled and nodded. "Well," Morgan said, "its time you got on to your next class. Thank you for your time." Merlin and Elena just smiled and left the room.

Neither had a class until later that day, so they decided to get something to eat together. They went to the campus cafeteria and sat down at a table.

Merlin addressed Elena. "Do you know much about the Druids, other than Mordred?" Elena shook her head. "Well, the Druids were a people of magic. All of them had magic to some degree. They were a generally peaceful people, but, like everyone who had magic, they resented Uther, Arthur's father." Elena nodded and Merlin continued to explain about the Druids.

He described the symbol that they usually had on their arm. "Does it look anything like this?" she asked, pushing up the sleeve of her jumper and revealing her forearm.

Merlin gasped. On her arm, he saw the three spiral symbol of the Druids. Not being able to put his question into words, he just looked at her with puzzlement in his eyes.

She smiled. "I've had it since I was a baby," she explained. "My mum and dad had it, too. They died when I was twelve. I then went to live with my aunt until I was 18. She did not have the mark. And she always told me that I was special but I must never let anyone know."

"What did she mean by special?" Merlin quizzed. Elena leaned and whispered, "Promise me you won't think I'm mad, and you won't tell anyone." Merlin nodded and promised. She took a deep breath, and then suddenly, her eyes turned gold, and her water bottle slid across the table without her touching it.

She looked up at him, her eyes returning to their normal brown, and smiled warily. Merlin smiled in return. "I think it's amazing. And I wouldn't dream of telling anyone. Trust me, I know what it's like keep secrets like that," he said. She smiled and thanked him.

He dropped his backpack on the floor and flopped onto his bed, the only seating option in his room besides his desk chair. He smiled. Elena was a Druid. She had magic, and she had the mark. He almost wished that he had told her he had magic, too. But that would open up a whole other can of worms. No, as usual, Merlin had to keep his magic secret.

A few days later, he decided to make a trip to Lake Avalon. Aithusa was glad to see him, but surprised since he had already visited this month. He asked her what she knew about any surviving Druids.

She told him that there were a few Druids still around. They were not immortal, like him, but they had children, and they had children, and so on. He nodded and told her about Elena. "Yes, most Druids have taken on their kind as their surname so as not to attract attention," she said.

He nodded again. "Is there any prophecy about her—you know, like there was about Mordred?" he asked. She shook her head.

"No. I have learned much about the Old Religion during my stay here on the Isle, but I have heard nothing about a Druid girl named Elena—good or bad," the White Dragon answered.

"That's a relief," Merlin replied, glad that his new friendship was not going to result in a country falling to pieces.


	4. Chapter 4 It's a Process

**Authour's Note: WARNING: This story was rated M for a scene in this chapter, but it is the only scene in this story that really makes it M. So, I decided to change the rating of the story. I did not change this scene, though because I don't think it's all that bad, and it doesn't last long. Basially, Merlin finds his old knife and well...it gets a little graphic, but it's still not horrible...at least I think, and I don't like a lot of gore and guts. Oh, and btw, in case you're wondering, this is** **NOT a slash story. There will be some bromance, but that is all. Happy reading! :)  
**

* * *

 **Chapter Four**

 **It's a Process**

Merlin sat down at his desk next to Elena. They smiled at each other and began talking. Soon, Professor Morgan walked in, and class began.

The professor announced that they were going to talk about the ancient sport of melee. Merlin coughed to hide his laugh. "Is there something you wish to contribute, Mr. Ealdor?" Professor Morgan asked.

Merlin smiled. "I'm just looking forward to learning about the tournament where the knights ride around hitting each other with blunt weapons for no good reason," he responded.

"There's a little more to it than that," Morgan replied.

"Really? All I've ever seen is people getting the seven bells knocked out of them so that the last man standing can be called a winner," Merlin retorted.

"The melee is the ultimate test of strength and courage," Morgan explained.

"Are you sure we're talking about the same thing?" Merlin quizzed.

"Well, I wouldn't expect you to understand, Mr. Ealdor, you're not a knight."

"Well, if it means I don't get clobbered 'round the head, I'm glad of it!" Merlin exclaimed.

The whole class laughed, and Merlin smiled. The professor called the class back to order. "Perhaps, Mr. Ealdor," he added, "since you seem to know so much about this sport, you would like to tell us how Arthur became the champion."

Smiling, Merlin began. "Well, he almost wasn't the champion. It all started days before the melee when Arthur and Merlin had gone to a tavern. They got into a fight and—"

"Mr. Ealdor, I would prefer it if you stuck to the story of the melee, not some other fight," Morgan interrupted.

"But this part is important," Merlin countered.

"Very well," Morgan sighed, "continue."

"When they left, there were two men that wanted to get back at Arthur. So, these two men acquired swords that looked blunt, but when touched were actually sharp. Then, using magic, they disguised themselves as two well-known knights.

"At the end of the fight, there were only four men left. One was still on a horse. Merlin saw that he was heading straight for Arthur, and he was one of the ones with the actual sword. So, he used his magic to make the horse's girth snap. The man fell off, saddle and all.

"Then, the two men started fighting Arthur. That's when the fourth man stepped in and engaged one of them. Merlin wondered who the fourth man could be, until he saw him disarm the other man. He knew that there was only one person that could do that. It was Gwaine, the man that had saved them in the tavern.

"After Arthur managed to stab his opponent with his own sword, and Gwaine did the same, they turned to each other. Gwaine revealed who he was and forfeited to Arthur. And that's how Arthur became the champion of the melee."

Professor Morgan was silent. "I must say, I have never heard it told like that," he commented. Merlin just smiled.

This sort of thing happened often in class. Professor Morgan would say something, Merlin would laugh at it, and Morgan would ask him to share with the class what he thought. Merlin would then tell the story as he remembered it. Then, the professor would say something like, "I've never heard it quite like that before."

It had been a month since Freya brought him the sword. He sighed. He had waited over 500 years for him, what was another month?

He saw his knife laying on his desk. His eyes fixed on it. They would not move no matter how much he tried to look away. He could almost feel the cold steel against his arm. He swallowed hard, then screwed up his face and whimpered. Memories of Arthur tortured his thoughts. His breathing increased. He did not want to…

His hand shot toward the knife, and without thinking made a cut on his already scarred arm. He winced at the pain, but continued making cuts. He switched hands with the knife and began to cut again.

Sobbing, he dropped the bloody knife on his desk and stood up. There were more cuts on his arm than last time. He grabbed a couple of shirts that were lying on his cluttered floor and wrapped them around his arms.

He cautiously opened the door and peeked out. He breathed a sigh of relief. No one was in the hall. He walked quickly to the bathroom, two doors down. Then, he unwrapped his arms and began washing them. He rinsed out the shirts and sighed again.

Leaning on the edge of the sink, he slowly let out his breath. He shook his head. He couldn't keep doing this. At this rate, if he had to wait another 500 years, his arms would be nothing but scars.

Although, lately it hadn't been so bad. Before today, he hadn't done it since last month's visit to Lake Avalon. Finding Elena, and being able to share in class about Arthur had helped. He smiled weakly.

He then looked up and sighed at his reflection. Besides his arms, he looked perfectly normal. He whispered a spell. His eyes turned gold, and the bar of soap levitated. He grabbed it, as his eyes returned to their normal color. He set it down and then rinsed off his hand. At least he still had his magic.

Sighing again, he returned to his room. He saw the bloody knife still laying on his desk. He picked it up and wiped it on his trousers. Then, he opened the bottom drawer of the unused desk and dropped it inside. If he could forget where he put it, maybe he could stop. He then flopped onto his bed and attempted to shut out reality.

Professor Morgan called Merlin up to his desk after class. He held Merlin's graded test in his hand. "I wanted to ask you about this answer you gave," he said.

" _Uh, oh!"_ Merlin thought. _"I've said something that I could only know if I'd been there."_

"The town where Merlin was born," Morgan interrupted Merlin's thoughts. "You have it here as Ealdor."

"Yes, sir," Merlin replied, still feeling very anxious.

"There is no clear indication in any legend as to where Merlin was born, and in fact, much of his childhood is a mystery. There are only a few things that are known about him before he came into the service of Arthur."

The professor continued when Merlin nodded. "So, my question is, did you just put your last name because you wanted to sound confident, or do you have another reason?"

Merlin swallowed the lump in his throat. What should he say? How was he going to get away with this? He had chosen Ealdor as his last name because that was his childhood home town. But he never expected to be challenged on the details of his own life and not be able to defend himself.

After a few minutes, he answered, "I'm not really sure, sir." The professor nodded.

"You are an excellent student, and I don't want to doubt you. Also, you have an uncanny knowledge of Arthurian legends, making me not want to doubt you even more. But I cannot accept this answer as correct unless you can support it with a text."

" _How about my memories? Are those enough proof?"_ Merlin retorted in his mind.

Aloud, he said, "I have no supporting text for it, sir. I just wrote it down because I knew it to be the answer. I can't tell you how I know that Ealdor is where he was born and where he spent most of his childhood, but I just know that it is."

Morgan nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ealdor, that is not enough proof. Your answer will be counted wrong," he said. Merlin nodded.

"I understand," he replied. The professor smiled and dismissed him.

Elena met him in the halls. "Did you get in trouble?" she pried. Merlin smiled and shook his head.

"No, Morgan just wanted to ask me how I knew that Merlin was born and raised in a town called Ealdor," he answered.

"How did you know that?"

"Well, I couldn't give any solid proof of it, and he said that in all the legends, it is unclear as to where Merlin was actually from. So, he said he was going to have to count it wrong."

"But you know it's Ealdor." Merlin nodded. "How?" she questioned. He shook his head.

"It's complicated, and I don't really know how to explain it," he sighed. She nodded and did not press the matter further.

Afternoon came, and with it an unusual warmness. Merlin and Elena were walking in the courtyard, talking of nothing in particular. After a while, he took off his jacket. Elena gasped when she saw his arms. He looked down at them and quickly hid them behind his back. His scars were still fresh.

She looked up at him. "What happened?" she asked.

"Nothing," he responded, suddenly feeling ashamed.

"It didn't look like nothing," she prompted.

Merlin looked into her eyes. He felt like they were piercing his soul. He sighed. "All right, it is something," he admitted. He sighed again. It wasn't easy telling someone how he really felt. "I…have depression, and sometimes, I self-harm," he said.

Elena was silent for a moment. Then, she smiled. "You are the last person in the world that I expected to hear that from," she exclaimed.

However, she quickly became serious. She knew depression and self-harm were no topics to joke about. She had never self-harmed, but she had gone through a period of depression when her parents died.

She stopped and so did he. "Are you taking any medicine? Are seeing anyone about it?" she inquired. He shook his head. "No medicine works on me, and I cannot truly talk about it with anyone," he responded.

She nodded, but did not answer for a few minutes. "Well, you have no reason to harm yourself like that," she said. "Whatever happened to you, it's in the past, and you have friends here now—well, at least one friend: me." He smiled.

"Thank you," he replied.

He was right. Having Elena around did help. Usually, once he started cutting himself again, it took three to four weeks to stop. But he hadn't done it at all since he stuck his knife in the empty desk drawer.

He opened his door and closed it behind him. He whispered a spell to lock it. He had lost his key within the first week of classes, so he resorted to magic to lock his door. No one else ever went in his room anyway.

He wrapped his cloak around him and put up the hood. He tiptoed down the hall to the stairwell. He descended the two flights of stairs and opened the door to the courtyard. He went through and gently closed it behind him.

He checked his surroundings to make sure no one was watching, and then ran to the empty field beside the university.

Again, he checked to make sure no one was within eyeshot, or earshot. Then, he called to the White Dragon.

He soon saw her great, white form flying toward him. She landed in front of his with a smile. "What can I do for you, my lord? And I must say, it feels good to get off that island," she said.

Merlin smiled. "I thought you might enjoy getting away for a while," he replied. She smiled and nodded her great head. "Climb on, my lord," she responded. The Dragon Lord eagerly obeyed. He grabbed hold, as she leapt into the air.


	5. Chapter 5 The Beginning

**Chapter Five**

 **The Beginning**

Merlin opened his campus mailbox and found a most curious letter inside. He took out the red envelope and looked at the address line. It had his mailbox information on it, but the name on it was what startled him. "Emrys," he whispered.

No one had called him that for centuries. Who could have sent him such a letter? He quickly tore open the flap and began reading.

 _Greetings Emrys,_

 _I hope this letter finds you alive and well. If it does not, well, there is always hope somewhere._

 _As you have probably noticed on the news, some researchers have found a sword which they believe to be Excalibur. (I assume you know what that is, since you were the one who forged it.)_

 _However, I had my personal researchers do an analysis of it. It turns out it is not Excalibur, but the sword that Mordred used to destroy Arthur. Although, I'm sure you already knew that because you probably know where Excalibur is hidden._

 _My point in all this is to say that Great Britain is in danger. My researchers announced to the British Museum, where the sword is being kept, that it was not Excalibur, but Mordred's sword. This sparked a new research expedition to find Excalibur. I hope you have it in a place where they cannot get to it._

 _It is bad enough to have one sword forged in the breath of a dragon, but if the two of them should ever meet, I believe another world war would ensue._

 _So, I am asking for your help, Emrys. Please meet me at my house at 13:00 hours, on Tuesday 25 October._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Elizabeth R_

 _P.S. You may bring one companion that you would trust with a great secret to our meeting._

Merlin gasped. He had received a letter from the queen of England! He breathed out in disbelief. (After Guinevere had died, and he had helped sort out who the next ruler was to be, he had lost touch with the royal family. He decided it would be best to be a normal citizen, after the new king had declared his aversion to magic. He could not repeat his role of servant/secret sorcerer to the prince/king for generations. His heart could not handle it.)

He read the letter over again just to make sure he was not dreaming. He smiled. Well, it looked like he was going to be taking a field trip to Buckingham Palace.

He then realized that one o'clock in the afternoon on Tuesday he would be during Professor Morgan's history class. But he couldn't refuse the queen. He fairly sprinted back to his room.

He opened his computer and opened his university email account. He sent an email to his professor saying that he would not be in class this coming Tuesday because he had an urgent personal matter that required his attention on that day.

Then, he texted Elena and asked her if she wanted to skip an installment of Arthurian legend. She quickly responded.

 _"I thought you liked history class."_

 _"I do like it."_

 _"Then why skip?"_

 _"I have something important to do."_

 _"Then, why involve me?"_

 _"Because I am allowed to bring a guest—a trustworthy guest—and I want to bring you."_

 _"Ooh! What kind of important job is this?"_

 _"It's something that would be easier to explain in person. Do you have time to meet today?"_

 _"Sure. I'm free after 3:00."_

 _"Perfect. Meet me in the courtyard at 3:30."_

 _"Okay."_

Merlin smiled. The queen would love Elena. Now, the only question was, did he want to reveal his magic to Elena himself, or let the queen reveal it? He decided it would be best to reveal it himself, that way the queen would not doubt Elena because of her lack of knowledge as to who he truly was.

* * *

He waited for her on a bench in the courtyard. She soon appeared walking across the grass to where he sat. He stood up to greet her.

She smiled and sat down on the bench. He sat down beside her. "First, I have to tell you a secret, or rather, show you a secret," he said. She nodded.

He extended his hand and whispered an incantation. A pile of leaves nearby flew into the air and formed themselves into the shape of a dragon.

Elena gasped. "You have magic, too!" she exclaimed. Merlin nodded. "I am Merlin—the actual Merlin. I wasn't named after him, I am him," he replied. Elena gasped again. "So, that's how you know so much about Arthur!" she responded, smiling.

He nodded. "So, does that mean you're like 600 years old?" she laughed.

"Almost 600, yes," he replied.

"You don't look a day over 200," she smiled. Merlin laughed. "Thanks," he smiled.

She then asked him about this special task of his. "Have you heard on the news about the sword they found in Camlann, which they believe to be Excalibur?" he questioned. She nodded. "Well, it isn't Excalibur because I have Excalibur hidden in my room. It is the sword that Morgana formed for Mordred to kill Arthur."

She drew in her breath. He then explained to her how the queen had invited him to speak with her about the magic swords. "And probably the return of Arthur," he added. Elena smiled and nodded.

"Where do I come into all this? And how does the queen know who you are?" she quizzed.

"The queen said I could bring a guest that I trusted, and since you are my friend, and I know you can handle things regarding magic, I'm inviting you. And I am known throughout history. The Great Sorcerer Emrys is well known in almost all centuries."

"Emrys?"

"That is another name by which I am called."

Elena nodded. "So, the queen wants to talk to you about the swords and Arthur's return because it involves magic," she added. Merlin nodded.

"Yes, and because it means Albion is in danger," he replied.

"What?" she questioned.

Merlin laughed. "Right, we haven't gotten there in class, yet. It was prophesied that when Albion was in greatest need, Arthur would return," he explained.

She nodded. "Okay. And Great Britain is Albion?" she clarified. Merlin nodded. "So, these swords put Britain in danger?" Merlin nodded again. Then, she nodded and said, "Well, I'm willing to help in any way I can. And just imagine if we find Arthur! What Morgan wouldn't give to meet him!"

Merlin smiled and nodded. "He may very well get to meet him, although it must be kept a secret as to who he really is. No one must know it is him until the time is right," Merlin warned. Elena nodded.

"I won't say anything. I'm really good at keeping secrets, obviously," she smiled. Merlin smiled and nodded.

* * *

Tuesday at lunch, Merlin told Elena that they would leave right after this. "Did you tell Morgan you wouldn't be in class?" he asked.

"Yeah, I told him I had a family emergency and needed to go to London," she replied. He smiled and nodded.

After lunch, they hopped on a train and rode into London. Then, they took the underground to Buckingham Palace. They looked around. There were too many people.

Merlin took off his backpack and got out his hooded cloak. He then took out one for Elena as well. She smiled as he handed it to her. "What are these for?" she asked.

"We are people of magic, so we must look the part," he replied. She gave him a questioning look. "Just put it on, and put the hood up," he said. Nodding, she did as he said. He put on his own cloak and raised the hood.

Then, he took her hand and walked up to the gate. He whispered an incantation, and the gate unlocked. He opened it, and they both stepped through. Then, he turned and whispered another incantation. The gate closed and locked.

Still holding Elena's hand, he ran across the courtyard. "How did we get away with that?" she asked.

"The people of Great Britain are extremely thick when it comes to magic," Merlin explained. "They have been for centuries. I whispered spells almost directly in Arthur's ear, and he never suspected me of having magic." Elena laughed and shook her head.

Once they reached the door, Merlin whispered another spell. They walked through, and he whispered a spell to close and lock it. Then, they made their way through the hallways.

Suddenly, a man spotted them. Merlin fixed his gaze on the man, his eyes turning gold. He soon released his gaze. "He's a member of the Royal Protection Squad," he whispered. "I hope he knows the queen is expecting us." Elena looked at Merlin with wide, panicked eyes. "How do you know that?" she whispered. "He looks like a guy in a suit to me."

"Basically, I used magic to read his mind," Merlin whispered back. Elena nodded.

The man approached them and demanded that they reveal themselves. Both lowered their hoods. "Who are you, and what is your business here?" the man demanded.

"I am Emrys. And this Elena. She is my trusted companion," Merlin stated confidently. The man's eyes narrowed. "How do I know you're telling the truth?" he questioned.

Merlin uttered an incantation at normal volume. A flame appeared in his hand. The man gasped. "Right. The queen is expecting you," he said. He then led the way to the queen's office, as Merlin extinguished his flame.

The man knocked on the door. When the queen answered, he opened the door, and said, "Your majesty, Emrys is here."

"Show him in," she replied, looking up. He nodded and ushered Merlin and Elena inside.

They bowed to the queen, and she showed them to a round, very ornamented table, with three just as ornamented chairs pulled up to it. She sat down in one, and they sat down in the other two.

Then, she turned and smiled at Elena. "Who is your guest, Emrys?" the queen asked.

"This is Elena Druid, your majesty. She is one of the last surviving members of the Druids," Merlin responded.

"You have magic then?" she questioned. Elena nodded. "Good, you will understand the things to which we will be referring."

"Yes, your majesty," Elena smiled.

The queen smiled at her, and then turned to Merlin. She asked him why he had not brought Arthur with him. Merlin replied that Arthur had not yet returned. "Do you know when he will return? Will it be soon?" the queen inquired.

"I don't know exactly, but the Lady of the Lake brought me Excalibur, which I now have hidden in my room in a magic safe."

"What has the Lady of the Lake bringing you a sword got anything to do with Arthur returning?" Elena interrupted.

Merlin smiled. "I can see your knowledge of Arthurian legends is a bit rusty," he commented. She smiled and nodded. "Excalibur is Arthur's sword, and when Excalibur is in danger, Albion—or Great Britain—is at its greatest need. And when Great Britain is at its greatest need, Arthur will return," Merlin explained.

Elena nodded. "So, you believe Arthur is returning soon, then?" the queen asked. Merlin nodded and gave an affirmative reply.

They went on to discuss other matters, such as battle plans, in case of an attack, and the rankings that Merlin and Elena would take on.

The queen insisted that Merlin be Chief of the Defense Staff (CDS). Then, she gave Elena the choice as to what branch she wanted to head. She chose the Royal Air Force, since she had always wanted fly. So, the queen agreed to make her the Chief of the Air Staff. The queen then announced that the ceremony for appointing them to their positions would be held Saturday, a week hence. Merlin and Elena agreed.

After a pause, Elena interjected, "What about Arthur? What will he be?"

"I think he should be the personal assistant to the CDS," the queen said.

Merlin laughed. "That would be an interesting turn of events. For, I was Arthur's manservant when he was prince and king," he answered. Elena and the queen smiled. The queen nodded. "Yes, that will be perfect. He will still be able to help, but you will be the one in charge," she said. Merlin smiled and nodded.

They discussed other details, including the location of Excalibur, the return of Arthur, and the use of magic. They agreed that magic would only be used when absolutely necessary. Merlin and Elena were glad they did not have to be known as sorcerers, and that, in fact, they would still hide their magic until it must be revealed.

* * *

 **Sorry, for the long time between chapters. Life kind of got in the way…haha. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. It might have been a little boring, but I had to set up for the next chapter :) (which I hope to be able to post soon now that school is out).**


	6. Chapter 6 A Lost Hope Returns

**Chapter Six**

 **A Lost Hope Returns**

The problem with having a magical memory was that it was nearly impossible to forget anything—including those things one wished to forget. It had been almost a week since he had talked with Elena and the queen, and still no Arthur. Merlin sighed. It was four in the morning and he had not had a wink of sleep. Memories of Arthur haunted his thoughts.

His burning eyes kept returning to the empty desk drawer, and, without realizing it, he was moving closer to it. He opened the drawer. There was his enchanted knife.

He managed to rip his eyes away for a second, but they soon returned. Then, his had shot into the drawer, and he felt the cold steel against his arm. The blood poured down his arms from the new, and re-opened, cuts.

His arms were almost all blood, when, suddenly, a voice invaded his thoughts. "Emrys! Emrys! Come quickly! Emrys!" He tried to ignore it. But then, he heard a deafening roar.

He started and dropped the blood covered knife on the floor. "Aithusa!" he shouted. He shook his head and rubbed his temples. Then, he got up, quickly put on his sneakers, and grabbed a jacket on the way out.

* * *

He stumbled to the shore of Avalon, where the White Dragon was waiting for him. "Finally," she exclaimed. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it in time. Did you bring all the supplies?"

"Supplies?" Merlin questioned.

"Yes, I thought it was obvious," the White Dragon responded. Merlin shook his head.

"What was obvious?" the tired Dragonlord questioned.

"It is time, my lord," she replied.

"Time for what? I have not slept all night, Aithusa, my brain is not functioning properly right now."

"Time for his return," Aithusa prompted.

The warlock gasped. His eyes grew wide, and his breathing grew more rapid. A grin crossed his face and refused to leave. "Do you mean it?" he cried. The White Dragon nodded her great head.

Merlin laughed, then he cried, then he jumped up in the air, then he collapsed to the ground. He didn't know what to feel. Arthur was coming back! His best friend was returning!

His brain was beginning to work now. He thought of everything Arthur would need. A few things would have to wait, but he knew clothes would be needed first and foremost.

* * *

On the way back to the university, he got out his phone and made a list of everything he needed to get and do for Arthur's return. Once in his room, he opened his drawers, and grabbed some clothes. Then, he looked in his diminutive closet for an extra pair of sneakers. Finding a pair, he grabbed it and headed out the door, locking it with magic behind him.

He reached the shore of Avalon once again, and asked Aithusa if anything had happened. The White Dragon shook her head. Merlin breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to wait.

Merlin began to cut his bare arms with the enchanted knife that he had subconsciously slipped into his jacket pocket on the way out. Aithusa scolded him, but the Dragonlord paid no attention to her.

All of a sudden, the water began to lap at the warlock's feet. Merlin gasped and looked up. The lake was bubbling an foaming. Merlin scrambled to his feet.

A pair of broad, sinewy shoulders appeared, from beneath the waves. Then, a head, which jerked upwards; the golden hair flinging water in the air.

Merlin wadded out into the water. He caught the man in his arms and hauled him to the shore. He laid the man by a pile of sticks. He whispered an incantation, and a fire burned.

The man moaned as the warlock covered him with a blanket. "Merlin," he groaned. The warlock smiled, but made no reply.

After a while, the man sat up and asked, "Merlin, what happened? And what is a dragon doing here?" He looked up nervously at Aithusa, who was hovering over him. "Aithusa, don't intimidate him," the Dragonlord gently scolded. "He's still new to the whole magic idea." The dragon nodded and stepped back several paces.

The warlock then turned to the returned monarch. "You were stabbed by Mordred's blade, which is much like your sword, Excalibur. Both were forged in the breath of a dragon; Excalibur in Kilgharrah's, and Mordred's in Aithusa's," Merlin explained. "And that is Aithusa," he added, gesturing toward the White Dragon.

The man took an unsteady, but unfearful breath in. He let it out slowly. "So, I was stabbed with Mordred's sword," the man clarified. "I remember that part. Then, I remember you telling me you were a sorcerer on our way to this lake. And you did something with the fire."

Merlin nodded and whispered a spell. His eyes glowed, and the sparks made the shape of a dragon for a few seconds.

The man nodded and continued. "Then, I remember riding a dragon. But not this one. It must have been the other one. Kil…"

"Kilgharrah," Merlin said.

"Right. And then, I thanked you, and told you to always be you. Then, I asked you to hold me and the last thing I remember was seeing your face."

Merlin nodded. "You died in my arms. I lifted you up and put you in a boat. I sent it out into the lake."

"So, wait, I died? Am I a ghost then?" the man questioned.

The warlock shook his head. "There was a prophecy about you. You are the Once and Future King, and Mordred was to be your doom, but you would return when Albion was in most danger. And that time is now."

The man nodded slowly. "Well, I'm going to need a bit more of an explanation than that, but how about some clothes, first?"

Merlin threw the clothes he had brought from his room. Then, he threw the sneakers at him, too. "You get dressed, I'll go get some food," the warlock said.

"What about helping your king?" the man questioned.

"First of all, it's the 21st century, Arthur, no one has servants—except the royals—and you are not the king anymore. Oh, and the country is one unified state, named Great Britain now, not Albion, and not five different kingdoms."

Arthur stared after him, as he went into the forest with the dragon. He looked at the clothes in his lap and sighed. They were certainly strange ones. Shrugging he got up and put them on.

When Merlin returned, he smiled. "See," he said, "you can do things for yourself." Arthur gave Merlin a sarcastic smile. "And you're going to have to get used to it because, like I said, you are not the king anymore. I will help you as much as I can, but I am not your servant."

Arthur gave him a questioning look. "It's the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, Arthur. Many kings and queens have reigned since you, and much has happened. You will learn it all in time. And I strongly advise that you keep your mouth shut as much as possible. People do not take kindly to strange things, and you are certainly strange." The former king nodded.

There was silence as Merlin prepared the meal of a couple of rabbits. Arthur took the food with a smile and a thank you—the latter of which he had never done when receiving food before. Merlin just smiled and nodded.

After the meal, Merlin tried his best to explain the highlights of British history to Arthur. However, it was way over the royal's head, and the more Merlin tried to illustrate things, the more Arthur was confused. Finally, Merlin decided to use magic.

He moved closer to Arthur. "I'm going to use magic," he explained, "to help you see it all. Don't worry, it won't hurt."

He placed his hands on either side of Arthur's head. Then, he closed his eyes. He pictured all the years, as he had seen them go by.

When he let go and sat back, Arthur was silent for a long time. He was just as shocked that Merlin could do something like that, as he was at the things Merlin had shown him.

They stayed on the shore until dawn discussing events and inventions, as well as the plans for rescuing Albion. Arthur was a bit put out at first that he was to be Merlin's assistant in the military, but when he learned that the queen had ordered it that way, he relented.

Merlin was glad that Arthur was an intelligent man. Otherwise, it would have been very difficult to make him understand the prophecy, and the modern culture. It was difficult enough as it was.

* * *

 **This is a short chapter, I know. But it was either make this one short and make the next on decent sized, or make this one really long. I'll try to post the next one soon. :)**


	7. Chapter 7 An Interesting Twist

**Authour's Note: For the purposes of this story, the TV show** _ **Merlin**_ **does not exist, and a boy in Merlin's class came up with the idea of Merlin and Arthur being the same age. I have written out some of the scenes from the TV show, but with very slight differences.**

* * *

 **Chapter Seven**

 **An Interesting Twist**

Merlin had told Arthur about the life he would now lead, and they were currently headed back to Merlin's dorm room. Arthur was wearing Merlin's jacket, as the warlock had forgotten to grab an extra one on the way out.

Arthur reached into the pockets, and then winced. He pulled his hand out. It was bleeding. Merlin gasped and quickly took Arthur's hand in his. He uttered a healing spell, his eyes glowing.

The former king pulled his hand away, but smiled when he saw it was completely healed. Then, he carefully placed his hand in the pocket again, and drew out the enchanted knife. "What is this?" he questioned.

Merlin did not make eye contact with his former master. "It's an enchanted knife," he said.

"Why do you have it in your jacket pocket?" Arthur quizzed.

The warlock swallowed hard and held out his arms. Arthur gasped. "Merlin! Have you been cutting yourself?" he exclaimed. Merlin sheepishly nodded his head. "For how long? And why?" Arthur inquired.

"For almost 600 years. Because I lost hope, and I blamed myself for your death," Merlin stated.

Arthur moved closer and placed a hand on Merlin's shoulders. "You are a loyal friend, Merlin, and nothing that happened was your fault," Arthur comforted. Merlin smiled weakly. "But it was," he insisted. "If I had kept my focus on you instead of Aithusa and the Saxons, I could have saved you." Arthur shook his head. "You said yourself that the prophecy said Mordred was going to be my doom. Nothing could have prevented it."

Merlin swallowed hard. He felt a sob creeping up in his throat, but he could not cry now. "I am here now, and I have no intention of leaving soon," the former king assured. Merlin smiled weakly. "Nevertheless, I think I'll hold onto this knife for a while." Merlin nodded, still smiling weakly.

* * *

They stopped at the door. Merlin whispered the incantation to unlock the door. "Is it normal to lock your door with magic here?" Arthur inquired.

Merlin shook his head. "No. Actually, you are one of the few who know I have magic. There's not exactly a law against it here, but it is an unacceptance of it."

"Then why do you lock your door with magic?" Arthur questioned.

"Because I lost the key. Which reminds me, I need to get a key for you," Merlin replied. Arthur just nodded. He was still a little overwhelmed at how much things had changed in almost 600 years.

Merlin pointed to the empty bed. "There's your bed. It's not that comfortable, but it's better than the floor," he laughed. Arthur nodded again. "This is your desk, and your closet…" Merlin gestured to the items as he said them. "And, the top three drawers are yours, as well," Merlin finished. Arthur nodded.

The blonde flopped onto his bed and groaned. Merlin smiled. "I told you these beds weren't very comfortable," he said. Arthur nodded and moaned again. "It's not a castle, but it is a place to stay, and its included in the tuition."

"Tuition?" Arthur questioned, sitting up.

Merlin sat down on his bed and nodded. "Tuition is a special payment that you pay to go to university," Merlin explained.

"What's university?" the blonde asked.

"It's a special kind of school. Once you learn to read and write, and once you've done all your maths, you can choose to go on to a special school called university. There, you learn more about a specific topic. For example, my study (the topic I chose) is history. I've lived through most of it, so why not take advantage of my knowledge?"

Arthur nodded. He realized he had a lot to learn about this new culture! "So, what will my study be?" Arthur quizzed.

"It can be anything you want it to be," Merlin replied. "For you, though, I would suggest history, or politics because I think you would be best at those."

"What is politics?"

"Basically, it's how to run a government."

"Like a kingdom?"

"Yeah. A kingdom—called a monarchy—is one type of government. Great Britain (today's name for Albion) has a government called a constitutional monarchy. That means there is a queen, and she has some say in matters, but the country is mostly run by Parliament.

"Parliament is kind of like the council of lords, or the knights of the round table. Actually, it is a lot like both because there are two houses—or divisions. The House of Lords, and the House of Commons. Traditionally, the House of Lords represented the lords, and the others who are wealthy. The House of Commons represented the common people. It is much the same today.

"There are other forms of government, like a republic, or a democracy (governments ruled by the people), a dictatorship (where one person has absolute power, more so than a king), to name a few."

Arthur sighed. "I think I'll stick with history. It seems to be the simplest," he said. Merlin smiled and nodded. "You'll like the history class I'm in now. We're studying Arthurian legends."

"What is an Arthurian legend?" Arthur queried.

"It is a legend about you—King Arthur," the warlock answered.

The blonde gave him a confused look. Merlin smiled. "Over the years, the stories about you and your life have become faded. Just like we had our stories and poems that faded into myths and legends, so the people today have the stories about you. So, we study them now, as legends, not sure what is true, and what is made up."

Arthur nodded slowly. He smiled. "I think I'd be good at that," he said. Merlin smiled and nodded.

The warlock drew in his breath. "Now, let's work on getting you settled. I didn't know when you'd come back exactly, and I was hoping that Aithusa (the dragon) would give me a bit more warning so I could prepare a bit better, but it is what it is."

Arthur shook his head and said he'd slept in worse conditions. Merlin smiled at his long lost best friend. It sure felt good to have him back.

"Right, well, first things first. You need some more clothes. You can't just wear mine all the time. Then, you're going to need a pillow and sheets, and a blanket."

The blonde nodded. "Then, you're going to need to get registered for classes," Merlin continued. "Oh, and you will need a cell phone."

"A what?" Arthur questioned.

"One of these," Merlin answered, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. "You can talk to people on it, and you can send them a sort of letter that they can get right away. It's called a text."

Arthur nodded dumbly. This was definitely getting to be over his head. Merlin saw his deer in the headlights look, and smiled. "Once you get one, I'll help you learn how to use it," he assured. Arthur just nodded.

* * *

Finally, Arthur had everything he needed. He and Merlin had gone to London—partly so Arthur could see the big city—and bought everything from clothes to sheets, and shoes to a toothbrush. Merlin also got him a cell phone.

Arthur asked where Merlin had gotten the money, if he was not a king. Merlin smiled and said that he had had many life times to earn it, and not much to spend it on.

Then, over the next few days, which happened to be the weekend, Merlin taught Arthur more about the present day culture.

To help Arthur learn how to use the phone, Merlin placed his hands on Arthur's temples and transferred all the necessary information via magic. Arthur gasped. Merlin's magic was still all so new to him.

* * *

Monday morning came, and Arthur was ready to go. Merlin introduced him to Elena. She said she was glad to finally meet him, and that she had heard a lot about him. Arthur smiled and shook her outstretched hand, something Merlin had taught him was the proper thing to do whenever meeting anyone.

Then, Tuesday came, and with it, Professor Morgan's class. All three were excited to see how the professor would react, and what the other students would say.

Professor Morgan walked in and smiled. "I hear we have a new student," he said. He looked at his role. "Arthur Pendragon."

Arthur stood up and smiled. "Interesting name. Is that your actual name?" Morgan asked.

"Yes, sir," Arthur replied. "My parents were very into Arthurian legends, so because their last name happened to be Pendragon, they decided to name me Arthur."

Morgan smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Arthur, and welcome to out class. Hopefully, some of your parents' obsession for Arthurian legends will wear off on you because that is what we are currently studying." Arthur nodded and smiled.

Professor Morgan then began class with the announcement that they would stray a bit from the syllabus to look at a play that one of the students in the class had written.

He motioned for the student to pass out copies of the play. He got up and did as he was told. "Now, Quinn Ferris has written his own version of the Arthurian legend, with a very interesting twist," Morgan explained.

When Merlin received the copy of the script, he read the first page. He smiled and nudged Arthur. He pointed to a section of the script and Arthur smiled and nodded. "Ealdor, Pendragon. Why don't you two come up in front of the class and perform the first scene where Merlin and Arthur meet, for us," Morgan announced, seeing their nudge and smiles.

Merlin and Arthur nodded. They got up, and brought their scripts with them. "First, to give everyone a bit of background, the main premise of this play is that Merlin and Arthur are around the same age, and Merlin comes to Camelot as a young man. Also, magic is illegal in Camelot. And, Quinn also takes another very interesting perspective, which I will let you discover for yourselves." Morgan then nodded for them to begin.

Merlin stopped the imaginary target with his foot. "Hey, come on, that's enough," he said.

"What?" Arthur replied.

"You've had your fun, my friend," Merlin answered.

Then, the memories came flooding back into their minds, and they hardly looked at the script anymore. "Do I know you?" Arthur questioned.

"Er, I'm Merlin," Merlin responded, holding out his hand to Arthur. "So, I don't know you," Arthur stated.

"No," Merlin replied.

"And yet, you called me friend."

"That was my mistake."

"Yes, I think so."

"Yeah, I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass."

Merlin turned and took a few steps away. "Or, I one who could be so stupid," Arthur called after him. Merlin stopped, and Arthur smiled. "Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?"

"No."

"Would you like me to help you?"

"I wouldn't if I were you," Merlin warned, turning to face Arthur again.

Arthur chuckled. "Why? What are you going to do to me?" he taunted.

"You have no idea," Merlin returned.

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon."

Merlin took a swing at Arthur, but Arthur grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. Merlin winced. He was surprised that still hurt after all these years.

Arthur frowned. "I'll have you put in jail for that," he said.

"Who do you think you are?" Merlin questioned. "The king?"

"No, I'm his son…Arthur." He then kicked Merlin in the knees, forcing him to the ground. He let go, as Merlin groaned.

Morgan made the sign to stop, and Merlin got to his feet. He and Arthur smiled at each other. "Well done, you two! I think Mr. Ferris would agree with you."

Quinn nodded eagerly. "How did you do that arm twist thing?" he asked. "That wasn't in the script, but it fits perfectly!"

Arthur looked at Merlin who gave him a look that said, "The ball's in your court, but don't reveal too much". "Uh…Merlin and I have been friends for a long time. I used to do that to him all the time when we were growing up," Arthur said.

"Well, I'm going to add it to the script. It is totally something Arthur would do," Quinn replied. Arthur nodded and smiled. _"Yeah, it totally is something I would do,"_ he thought.

Morgan thanked Merlin and Arthur again, and asked them to take their seats. He then announced that the play would be extra credit for the class.

As long as each student participated in some way, be it set design, crew, cast, or anything else. If the class day after the last performance the student handed in a program with his/her name and part highlighted, he/she would get extra credit.

Chatter sprung to life among the students. Morgan brought the class to order, and said they would read the rest of the play from their seats. He chose Merlin to play Merlin, and Arthur to play Arthur, based on their brilliant performance on the earlier scene.

Elena volunteered to be Guinevere, to which Arthur smiled. Several other students volunteered to be various other characters, and others volunteered as more characters showed up. Morgan read aloud the stage directions so that they could get the full effect.

As they read through, Merlin and Arthur noticed that it was pretty much their lives. There were a few adventures and quests missing, but otherwise, it was pretty spot on. Except for one little detail…the time when Arthur was enchanted by the love spell revealed it.

The boy who was playing Kilgharrah made a very impressive dragon laugh. "This is magic indeed!" he continued laughing.

"Everything I have tried has failed," Merlin replied.

As the boy playing Kilgharrah continued to talk about the love spell and how there was only one force that could stop it, Merlin grew just as annoyed as he had the first time. "Just tell me!" he finally blurted, when it said to in the script.

The boy laughed another impressive dragon laugh. "Why, it is the greatest force of all: love," he said.

"Love?" Merlin questioned.

"You must find the person Arthur truly loves."  
"And then what?" Merlin asked.

"One kiss from that person will break the enchantment, and he will desire Vivian no more."

Merlin sighed, and nodded, as it directed in the script, then Professor Morgan read, "Merlin leaves in a hurry." Then, Professor Morgan read the setting for the next scene. It was Arthur's tent on the battle grounds. He was in the middle of the duel with King Olaf.

The boy who was reading for Gaius asked, "Are you sure you can carry on, sire?"

"As long as I have Vivian to gaze at, I can conquer the world. Besides, the mace is my forte. You'll see." The boy playing Gaius sighed. Professor Morgan then read that Arthur goes out to the arena and gets pummeled by Olaf.

Merlin expected to have some interaction with Elena, who was playing Gwen, in the next scene, but he was shocked to discover that this was not the case.

Professor Morgan read, "Merlin enters the tent and approaches Gaius."

"How is he?" Merlin read the question with some confusion.

"He says that as long as he has Vivian to gaze at, he can conquer the world, but gazing at Vivian is what has gotten him all his injuries. Though, he seems to be quite unaware of them," the boy reading for Gaius replied.

Merlin nodded, as directed in the script. "Did you find anything out about how to break the love spell?" Gaius asked. Merlin nodded.

"Unfortunately, the only way to break such a spell is to find the person Arthur truly loves and have her kiss him," Merlin said.

"I think you will have a hard time finding that person if you begin by looking for a her," Gaius replied.

Merlin screwed up his face. _"What is he talking about?"_ he thought. _"Arthur loves Guinevere!"_ Arthur was thinking the very same thing.

However, Professor Morgan's reading of the stage directions brought him back to reality. He quickly found his place and read, "What do you mean?"

"Do you not know who Arthur truly loves?" Gaius questioned. Merlin shook his head, as directed by the script.

The boy playing Gaius smiled. "Just think about it," he read. "I'm going to make sure Arthur doesn't get himself killed in this silly duel."

"Gaius leaves the tent, and Merlin begins to think," Professor Morgan read. "He ad libs as he thinks about all the times that Arthur either came after him, or did something only because he persuaded him to. Merlin gasps."

It took him a minute to process what was going on, so there was a pause before Merlin read his lines. "Could it be? Am I the one Arthur truly loves? I know his cares about Gwen a great deal, but Gaius said that if I looked for a her, I'd have a hard time finding Arthur's true love."

"Suddenly a strong sense of jealousy rises in him, and determination shows on his face," Morgan read. "He waits nervously in the tent for Arthur to return. Meanwhile, in the arena, Olaf continues to pummel Arthur. He is about to finish Arthur with his mace, when the gong is rung. Merlin takes a deep breath and offers to help Arthur with his armour. Arthur agrees and Merlin begins to take it off. With his armour and chainmail off, he turns to Merlin."

"Have you finally decided to wish me good luck? 'Cause I really don't think I need it anymore," Arthur read. _"Where is this going?"_ he thought.

"No, Arthur. I am not going to wish you luck," Merlin read.

"Well, honestly, that's rather rude," Arthur replied.

Merlin laughed, as it directed in the script. Then, he read his next line. "You said yourself that you don't need luck. Besides, this whole thing is stupid, and you know it."

Arthur gasped, as it directed in the script. "Merlin, you are ruder today than ever. What is wrong?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong!" Merlin exclaimed.

Professor Morgan began reading the stage directions. "Merlin pins Arthur up against the tent pole and kisses him. Arthur looks confused for a moment before closing his eyes and kissing him back. They put their arms around each other as Arthur dips him. They pull apart and Arthur cringes at his newly discovered injuries."

"What am I doing? What are you doing?" Arthur questioned.

"I'm saving you from a love spell," Merlin replied. "And you're in a fight. To the death. You're losing.

"But…" Arthur began to protest.

"There's no time to explain," Merlin interrupted. "Just…live for me, Arthur. That's all I ask right now."

"Merlin, I…but what…"

"Just come on, you've got to get your armour back on," Merlin interrupted.

Morgan proceeded with stage directions. "Merlin helps Arthur put his armour back on. Arthur approaches arena with Merlin."

"Merlin, if anything should happen to me, remember, no man is worth your tears," Arthur said. Merlin laughed, as directed by the script and replied, "You're certainly not."

"Oh, and don't let anyone call you an idiot. You are the bravest, and cleverest man I know," Arthur replied, smiling.

Morgan then read the next bit of stage directions. "Merlin smiles and hands Arthur his helmet. Arthur and Olaf fight. Arthur cringes in pain, but catches sight of Merlin and pushes past the pain. Olaf knocks Arthur to the ground, but Arthur flips Olaf, disarming him. Arthur stands above him, poised to strike, then lowers his sword."

"This is no way to achieve peace!" Arthur read.

"Arthur offers Olaf a hand to help him up. The crowd cheers. Arthur nods to Merlin. Merlin smiles," Morgan read.

The class turned the page to the next scene. It was the courtyard, and all the kings that had come to sign the treaty were leaving. The boy who played King Olaf was the first to speak. "Your boy has a very wise head on his shoulders," he said.

The boy playing Uther replied, "Yeah," and smiled.

"I doubt he gets that from you," Olaf joked.

"Ha! I hope these events will not harm our peace treaty," Uther said.

"Oh, I believe that Vivian was as much to blame as Arthur," Olaf replied.

"Vivian wipes her eyes as she descends the palace steps with another lady," Morgan read.

"I'll take her away from temptation. She's far too young to encounter such things. Yes, I go in peace," Olaf assured.

The boy reading for Uther smiled, as directed in the script, then he said, "I'm very pleased to hear that."

"Alined tugs on Trickler's manacle chains in the Square," Morgan read.

Alined's reader said the next line. "This is more than you deserve, boy. You will run all the way home."

"That's not possible, master," the boy reading for Trickler wined.

"Make it possible," Alined fumed.

"Why so cross Alined?" the boy reading for Uther said.

"Anyone would think you didn't want peace!" Arthur added.

"But of course I do. Peace? Love it," Alined smiled hugely.

"Well, you may return any time to view the treaty," Uther said.

"You're very kind," Alined replied.

"Alined nudges his horse to walk, dragging Trickler behind him," Morgan read. "Teary eyed Vivian walks by, escorted by her father."

"We may return, too?" the girl reading for Vivian asked eagerly.

"You're always welcome," Uther assured.

"My heart will remain, and I hope to join it soon," Vivian said.

Morgan read the stage directions. "Arthur gives an uncomfortable nod and wave before turning to walk inside with Merlin."

"Not too soon," Arthur mumbled.

"No. Might conflict with your one true love," Merlin teased.

"My what?" Arthur questioned, trying to shut him up.

"You heard me. I have proof," Merlin replied.

"Proof?" Arthur quizzed.

"You kissed me. In the tent," Merlin whispered.

"Merlin."

"Yes?"

"What happened in the tent…"

"Mm-hmm?"

"Speak of it again and I'll kill you."

"Okay."

"Arthur turns and walks inside the palace. Merlin pauses for a few moments, then hurries after him."

They finished the play, but after that scene, there were several things that changed. For instance, Arthur never married. He could never bring himself to marry someone he did not love, and he claimed he never found that one he truly loved.

So, the rest of the play went pretty much like Merlin and Arthur's life had gone after that, except that Gwen did not become queen, and anything that that affected was either nonexistent, or happened to Merlin. Also, Merlin and Arthur kissed a couple of more times. Then, when Arthur died at the end, they kissed again.

Professor Morgan congratulated Quinn on his excellent work and asked for constructive criticism. "It is a very interesting take on the story," Arthur pointed out. "It kind of works, though, I personally still like Arthur and Gwen better."

Morgan nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Pendragon," he said. "Anyone else?"

"I think Arthur is right. From what I know about Arthurian legends, if Arthur had not been so in love with Guinevere, and, if Arthur and Merlin were the same age, I could see this happening," Merlin added.

Professor Morgan nodded again. "Yes, it is certainly a surprising twist, but it seems to work. Any other comments?"

A few other students made comments about various things. Then, Professor Morgan dismissed class.

* * *

Arthur, Merlin, and Elena sat in the cafeteria. They discussed the play, and what really happened. "Do you love Merlin?" Elena questioned Arthur.

"Of course I love Merlin," Arthur replied. "But I don't love him like that. He's my best friend."

Merlin smiled. "And I thought I was just your idiot servant," he teased. Arthur smiled and reached up to tousle Merlin's hair. The warlock smiled. Nothing had changed in 600 years, and he was glad of it.


End file.
